title: Expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α and vascular endothelia growth factor in vocal polyps.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Long-term vocal overuse or sudden vocal-fold microvascular disruption may lead to the formation of a hypoxic zone of injury and the subsequent release of a cascade of cytokines in the vocal fold. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the expression and the role of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelia growth factor (VEGF) in the formation of vocal polyps.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression patterns of HIF-1α and VEGF in surgical specimens of vocal polyps from 36 patients were analyzed using the immunohistochemistry and Western blot method. Normal vocal-fold mucosa from 26 patients who underwent total laryngectomy were collected and used as the control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of HIF-1α and VEGF were detected both in the vocal polyps group and the control group, while the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF levels were significantly higher when compared to normal vocal-fold mucosa (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased expression of HIF-1α in vocal polyps indicates that vocal fold overvibration induced hypoxia may play an important role in the pathogenetic mechanism of vocal polyps.
authors.affiliation: EENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Jack J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Benjamin L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Daquan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: Vocal polyps; Western blot; hypoxia inducible factor-1α; immunohistochemistry; vascular endothelia growth factor